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Knocking on Heaven's Door
Death has the distinction of being the subject we'd all like most to avoid thinking about, but can't. Until not long ago, the reason for that was straightforward: The mortality rate continues to run at a clear-cut 100 percent, a fact that grows at once easier and more difficult to meditate on the older one gets.
For several decades now, however, members of an increasingly long-lived society have had more than our own final destination to preoccupy us. We are also faced with those of our parents. Novelists and other chroniclers of human consciousness have long explored the emotional trauma resulting from the death of a parent. But in the era of medically extended twilight years, the economics and psychology of the resulting scenarios can combine to produce something new – an unholy mess, a nightmarish and ghoulish business where the pain of loss can be swamped by the cost of its postponement. Because we still deal with our discomfort around death with silence, there is a lot of room in the subject for a real researcher to uncover. And in this field, they have.
The signature work around the problem is still probably Jessica Mitford's "The American Way of Death" – though the silence she broke was around what happened after death, rather than before. When it was first published in 1962, the book was a runaway bestseller, the kind of revelatory report that book publishers rarely manage to produce in our sped-up world. Mitford was married to a man who, as a labor lawyer, was interested in obtaining low-cost funerals for union members. As such, he got a bee in his bonnet about the way he saw funeral directors cheat, overcharge, and otherwise financially exploit people who were not really in a place where they could afford to bargain. Mitford, who had been working as an investigative journalist focused on civil rights abuses, took up the subject for a small left-wing magazine, got a book contract, and then wrote a sort of epic tour of the industry's pieties about itself and the contrasting economic reality. Undertakers, for example, routinely lied to their clients about the state of the law, saying for example that embalming was required when it was not. The government had to step in and outlaw this, so routine was it as a practice.
In the introduction to a revised edition Mitford put out shortly before her death, she catalogued the unsettled reaction of funeral directors across the country to the sudden popularity of her book: "When Mortuary Management began referring to me as Jessica tout court, I felt I had arrived at that special pinnacle of fame where the first name only is sufficient identification, as with Zsa Zsa, Jackie, or Adlai. Greedily I gobbled up the denunciations: 'the notorious Jessica Mitford'; 'shocker'; 'stormy petrel.' "
It isn't hard to imagine why Mitford was pleased to be the "petrel" of the story. In no small way her book reverberates through the culture of the American funeral even now. Watch something like the television show "Six Feet Under" and the scent of Mitford is all over it, from the funny product names to the references to state rules and regulations. It's become a commonplace to observe that funerals are something a little crass, actually, and mutter about the "death industry" in a way Mitford made possible.
The economics of death that are the subject of Katy Butler's new book, Knocking on Heaven's Door, present quite a different challenge, though "The American Way of Death" gets a nod in passing. Much of the strangeness and idle cruelty of Butler's experience arose in an entirely different kind of death industry: the chaotic, indifferent manner in which the American health care complex addresses our final years. Butler's book grew out of the experience of her father's long-drawn-out senescence, enabled primarily by the installation of a pacemaker in his heart that kept it beating long after his other faculties withered.
Eventually, Butler and her mother, also aging, reached the point of having to beg and cajole the medical establishment to turn the thing off so that her father could, eventually, die in peace. Your average pacemaker has a lifespan of about five years, the length of its battery power.
If Butler cannot offer quite the devastating social critique that Mitford could, in part that's because her tale lacks that most crucial of socially motivating factors: a clear villain. In Mitford's case the culprit was the commercial motive of a thousand small business owners. It's easier to create a lively romp, even in a dark subject, when there is someone very clearly to blame. In the healthcare industry, however, in spite of the very best efforts of avaricious insurance companies and horrific hospital administration, the disaster that awaits most of the elderly has little to do with the hunger for profit. With respect to Butler's father, for example, the problem was a cardiologist who, in his eagerness to resolve a short-term heart problem, forgot to calculate what his patient, who had already suffered a stroke, could expect in future. That's not so much greed as it is human optimism tripping over its own feet.
The pathos of that contradiction lends extra bite to the pathos of death itself. And Butler's tale is both compelling and affecting. She has a knack for both conjuring up deep emotion and being spare in its delivery, as in her description of her father's deteriorating cognitive abilities:
"What did it feel like, I wonder, to peer out at the world through the shifting keyholes of that generous soul and educated mind, with a black spot in his field of vision and his ears stopped with hearing aids that he could no longer put in without help? What was it like to have holes appear and disappear in memory like film jammed in a projector and melting?"
But this approach is not particularly effective as a mode of social criticism. Butler hints at what the solution might be, most tellingly pointing to the fact that the "death panels" so widely reviled in the debate about Obamacare were in fact meant to function as modes of planning humane end-of-life care. It's no accident that, as Butler remarks, "anyone who attempts to open a conversation about rehumanizing modern death must be prepared to weather charges of medical rationing, promoting 'death panels,' canonizing Dr. Kevorkian, and discrimination against the aged, demented, or disabled."
The hysteria of which those accusations are a symptom serves to conceal that the solution is an entirely different sort of health care system than currently exists in America, one which is less expensive and more humane. It would be one that doesn't require a person to "spend down" his or her assets on medical care that at least as overpriced as much as it is unnecessary.
It isn't that the ravages of death will then cease to occupy our thoughts, or that we won't still be uncomfortable with our direct experiences of it. Parents will continue to die, and we will continue to grieve. A few undertakers will still overcharge us; probably no one will escape an unnecessary procedure – or two, or three. But it would be a world in which silence didn't emerge from anxious powerlessness in the face of bureaucracy but rather from the calm of knowing that in the end, all you can ask of everyone – and you can ask it – is their best.


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Quiet Riot continues their historic journey in 2017 with their new album,\"Road Rage\". Led by drummer Frankie Banali, who is joined by veteran bassist Chuck Wright (who has been in and out of the band since 1982), guitarist Alex Grossi (who has been in the band since 2004), and new vocalist James Durbin, the band continues to be an unstoppable force in the rock \'n roll world.
Pre-Order \"Road Rage\" here: http://radi.al/RoadRage or at the links below:
Amazon: http://radi.al/RoadRageAmazon
iTunes: http://radi.al/RoadRageiTunes
Google Play: http://radi.al/ RoadRageGooglePlay
\"The recordings for the new \"Road Rage\" record have been an incredible musical journey in the storied history of Quiet Riot. I asked vocalist James Durbin to fill the very large shoes of the late great Kevin DuBrowbecause Iknew he could.While no one can ever replace Kevin DuBrow, he has the same spirit and drive that Kevin had. James is an amazing live performer with insane vocal range, but he is also a very gifted songwriter and brought to the\"Road Rage\" record totally uniqueoriginal lyrics and melodies. Not only do they fit perfectly to the music we wrote, but took the songs to a completely new level. All the work that we have put into this record has been well worth the wait! I am extremely proud of guitarist Alex Grossi, bassist Chuck Wright and especially James Durbin for the work we have created on this record.Quiet Riot continues to tour relentlessly and will be on the road throughout the year. Expect to hear your Quiet Riot favorites as well as new songs from\"Road Rage\" at our shows!\" exclaims Frankie Banali.
New frontman James Durbin comments on joining the band and his work on\"Road Rage\".
\"The crown-jewel, on top of joining one of your favorite bands, has to be writing, recording & releasing a new album. No matter what, you are now a part of that band\'s history & I\'m honored to have had the opportunity to do that with Quiet Riot. I spent just over 3 weeks marathon song-writing brand new lyrics and melodies for every song & recording vocals. I\'m extremely proud of the \"Road Rage\" record, not only that I had the band\'s support & trust to deliver, or how great of a personal accomplishment & blessing it\'s been, but that we can keep the Quiet Riot freak flag flying & have the chance to inspire a new generation of fans!\"
\"Road Rage\" was originally scheduled for release in the spring of 2017, but with the injection of newfound energy for the band with the addition ofAmerican Idol alumni James Durbin in the vocalist slot, the band decided to scrap the original sessions and record a new version of the album with the new and improved line-up. The results are everything Quiet Riot fans could have hoped for! \"Road Rage\" is set for release August 4, 2017 via Frontiers Music Srl.
Quiet Riot is a rock & roll phenomenon. Famously known as the first heavy metal band to top the pop charts, the Los Angeles quartet became a global sensation thanks to their monstrous smash hit album, 1983\'s \"Metal Health\". That album topped the Billboard album charts for several months and the follow up album; \"Condition Critical\" went double platinum. The band has continued to record and tour throughout the decades following.
Frankie Banali\'s history with QUIET RIOT spans over 34 years and he has the distinction of being the only member of QUIET RIOT to have recorded on every single QUIET RIOT release since the release of their now classic album, \"Metal Health\". After nearly ten years since the loss of his friend and bandmate Kevin DuBrow, and with careful consideration, soul searching, and the blessings and support of Kevin DuBrow\'s family, Frankie has moved forward with the band to bring the fans \"Road Rage\"!
Musically, \"Road Rage\" offers exactly what you would expect from Quiet Riot. Arena ready hard rock with strong hooks and infectious riffs, along with maturity in the songwriting that only a band with such a history and pedigree can offer.
Quiet Riot has come back stronger than ever, in perfect METAL HEALTHwith the new album, \"Road Rage\"! Catch them on the road this summer!
\"Road Rage\" Track Listing:
1. Can\'t Get Enough
2. Getaway
3. Roll This Joint
4. Freak Flag
5. Wasted
6. Still Wild
7. Make A Way
8. Renegades
9. The Road
10. Shame
11. Knock Em Down
QUIET RIOT Lineup
Frankie Banali – drums
Alex Grossi – guitars
Chuck Wright – bass guitar
James Durbin – vocals
Alex Grossi – guitars
Chuck Wright – bass guitar
James Durbin – vocals
See Quiet Riot Live:
6/2: Lincolnton, NC @ Court Square
6/4: Myrtle Beach, SC @ The Boathouse Concert Series
6/10: Farmington, Hills MI @ Motor City Harley Davidson Festival
6/17: Sauk Rapids, MN @ Old Capital Tavern
6/23: Lynchburg, VA @ Phase 2
6/24: Big Spring, TX @ Annual Fantastic Fourth
6/30: Marksville, LA @ MARI CENTER – PARAGON CASINO
7/1: Junction City, KS @ Sundown Salute
7/7: Santa Cruz, CA @ Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
7/15: Lake Ozark, MO @ The Horny Toad At Camden On The Lake
7/21: Las Vegas, NV @ The Golden Nugget Casino
8/11: Greenville, TX @ The TExan Theater
8/12: Longview, TX @ Maude Cobb Event Center
8/18: Imperial, NE @ Chase County Fairgrounds
8/25: Le Roy, NY @ Jam At The Ridge
8/26: Port Falls, ID @ Stateline Cruiser
9/1 – San Pedro, CA @ USS IOWA – Fleetweek 2017
9/2 – Wilmington, NC @ The Thorne Theater
9/7 – Jim Thorpe, PA @ Penn\'s Peak
9/15 – East Durham, NY @ Catskill Mountain Thunder
9/21 – St Charles IL @ Arcada Theater
9/23 – Newkirk, OK @ Southwind Casino
10/19: Houston, TX @ Proof Rooftop
10/28: Brownsville, TX @ Rock The Park Festival
10/29: Pekin, IL @ Avanti\'s Dome – Rock \'N\' Skull Festival
11/4: Pembrook, Pines FL @ Rockfest 80\'S -CB Smith Park
11/8: West, Hollywood CA @ The Whisky A Go Go
February 15-19 @ Rock Legends Cruise

subset: commoncrawl


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US Interstate 5 runs north-south all the way through California to Washington, connecting Mexico and Canada. It's the quickest road to get to Southern California. Known throughout much of it's length as I-5, the Southland has given this freeway several names. Known to the older generation which grew up during the opening of the Interstate as the Santa Ana Freeway, since it runs through Orange County. However, the majority of people who are acquainted with the named freeways of SoCal may still refer to it as the Golden State Freeway, as the freeway is more or less the artery of traffic in the state. But by far, the name most Northern Californians encounter is "The 5". More and more Southern Californians (especially amongst the younger crowd) are using this designation for I-5 and her sister interstates, which has been replacing the plethora of names that had been commonplace in the past.
The Freeway has only 2 lanes each direction except near large cities. The speed limit is 70 mph in rural areas though many drivers go much faster than that. I-5 is a major shipping route so the slow lane is generally lined with trucks.
The closest ways to get to I-5 are:
- Take Pole Line Road north into Woodland. On-ramps are located right before you hit Main St.
- Take Highway 113 north and take the Woodland Main St. exit. Make a right onto Main St. and on-ramps will be a few blocks down the road. Actually, if you stay on 113 North, it merges with I-5 right after the main st exit. If you are going North there is no reason to get off of 113.
- Take Interstate 80 east. Keep to the left until I-80 becomes Highway 50/Business Loop 80/I-305 in Sacramento. The I-5 junction is located just past the river.
The closest spur route is I-505, which splits from I-5 north in Zamora, passes through Winters, and terminates at Interstate 80 in Vacaville. You can get there by taking Covell Boulevard or Russell Boulevard west into Winters.
The Sacramento International Airport is located just off I-5 in north Sacramento.
Go to West Coast Roads for more information and photos.
South of Davis on Interstate 5
North of Davis on Interstate 5
- Granzella's at Williams. Check out their olives.
- Most of Northern California
- Woodland, technically
- Lake Shasta
- Not anymore - Aladero Coffeshop, also known as Pantyhose Junction. At the intersection of I-5 and I-505. Now closed.


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Business Iron Ons-Similar Products FeaturedFedEx logo light t shirt iron on transfer
Light iron-on transfers, perfect to make light garments!Thin and lightweight and made of printable heat transfer material, light iron-on transfers are meant to be used on light-colored fabric or light-colored apparel. With them, you make personalized light colored t-shirts, bags, hats, costumes and so on. Full color images, multi-color images, gradients, jersey lettering, all can be heat transferred on apparel. Your life will be totally different with light iron-on transfers. And only one household iron can make that happen. Features:1. Only used for light-colored fabric or light-colored apparel 2. An extremely soft hand and matte finish make well-suited for performance wear. 3. Suitable for making any complicated images for garments 4. Because of mirror image prints, after light-colored fabric iron-on transfers are transferred on fabric, there is a transparency film over the images, making the iron-on transfer more washable and durable. 5. They have been lab tested and have received a rating of 50 in the washability test. Recommended fabrics:Cotton, polyester, Lycra®/spandex, nylon Size available:Standard size: 12", 10", 8", 6", 4", 2" Customized size: any size Handling time: 1 business day Shipping time: 1-6 business days as you need. Application at a GlanceTemperature 320°F/160°C Cover and press 15-25 seconds Pressure Medium Peel hot More details, check instruction out Care InstructionsMachine wash using mild detergent. Do not use bleach. Dry at a normal dryer setting on household machines. Do not dry clean How to order custom light colored fabric iron-on transfers?It's easy Step 1, send images, and tell us quantity, size, colors and other requirements at info@ lightironontransfer.com Step 2, we will design as your request, and negotiate, and we send a link to you for ordering. Step 3, after you make payment, we will send a proof image with cutting line to customer for approval, and once you confirm, we work on the order right away. Step 4, review or feedback, we will solve any after-sales problems More questions, email us at email@example.com. Please tell us what you think and share your opinions with others. Be sure to focus your comments on the product.


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Is the wasteful practice of shark finning worth a bowl of soup?
Is the wasteful practice of shark finning worth a bowl of soup?
For those of you who like horror movies and large carnivorous creatures, I don't have to articulate that last week was Discovery Channel's "Shark Week", the annual end-of-summer series that features television programs about sharks: mostly their attacks and terrifying habit of breaching out of the water to catch seals. The series has attained some die-hard followers (including this author) with last year's series attracting over 30 million viewers. Perhaps because of "Shark Week", my radar seems to be tuned into ocean conservation a little more than usual, as evidenced by my blog last week. I now turn my focus to the dissolute practice of shark finning.
According to The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), shark finning is the wasteful method of slicing off a shark's fins and discarding the body at sea. The fins are used to fulfill a seemingly insatiable taste for shark fin soup, an increasingly popular (and expensive delicacy) in China. Traditionally the soup was served only at special occasions, but is now eaten more casually with the growth of economic wealth across the vast nation. The fins themselves are essentially tasteless and are added as a thickening agent to a broth usually enhanced by chicken stock. One can understand the historical and cultural weight of shark fin soup, but is shark extinction worth it?
After a little research, the statistics I found are astonishing, considering 18-20 species of sharks are endangered. Ocean advocacy group The SEAlliance estimates that up to 73 million sharks are killed each year. This is problematic because sharks grow slowly, mature late in their life cycle and produce a small number of young as compared to other, more sustainable marine creatures. And sharks are intrinsic to the ocean ecosystem. They are apex predators, meaning they are at the top of the food chain, and act as ecological stabilizers.
So why should shark finning concern you? Famed oceanographer and former chief scientist of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) Sylvia Earle puts it best. "We've got to somehow stabilize our connection to nature so that 50 years from now, 500 years, 5,000 years from now there will still be a wild system and respect for what it takes to sustain us." In essence, health to the ocean means health for us.
Visit Stop Shark Finning for ideas on how to get involved.


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Exclusive! Watch Tony Winner James Monroe Iglehart in Disney's DuckTales
There's someone new in Duckburg! Tony winner James Monroe Iglehart is set to appear as DuckTales villain Taurus Bulba in a special hour-long episode on Monday, October 19. The reboot of the 1987 series of the same name premiered in 2017 and airs on Disney XD and Disney NOW. Following the hilarious hijinks of Scrooge McDuck and his family, this new episode of DuckTales also features Stephanie Beatriz and Jameela Jamil as Gosalyn and W.A.N.D.A., respectively. Igelhart reunites with his Hamilton and Freestyle Love Supreme collaborator Lin-Manuel Miranda, who reprises his role as Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera/Gizmoduck. "Let's Get Dangerous!" shows what happens when Darkwing Duck gains an unlikely sidekick as he uncovers a dark conspiracy tied to the Missing Mysteries and one of Scrooge's employees. Get an exclusive look at the episode by checking out the clip below!


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Arctic Cat Recalls ATVs due to Crash Hazard
Arctic Cat Recalls ATVs due to Crash Hazard
The following product safety recall was voluntarily conducted by the firm in cooperation with the CPSC. Consumers should stop using the product immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of Product: Arctic Cat All-Terrain Vehicle
Units: About 1,384
Distributed by: Arctic Cat Inc., of Thief River Falls, Minn.
Hazard: The ATV's steering tie-rod can bend, causing loss of control which poses a crash hazard.
Incidents/Injuries: Arctic Cat has received three reports of bent tie-rods. No reports of injuries have been received.
Description: The recall includes all 2011 Arctic Cat XC 450 ATVs and some 2012 Arctic Cat XC 450 ATVs. Recalled 2012 model year ATVs can be identified by the last six numerals of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) in the following ranges: 6V0101 through 6V0178 and 700101 through 700230. The VIN is located on the lower front frame tube below the front bumper. The recalled ATVs are black and orange or black and lime green and display the words "Arctic Cat" on each side of the cowl ahead of the handlebars. The model number "450 XC" is on the front center of the cowl.
Sold at: Arctic Cat dealerships nationwide since February 2011 for between $6,500 and $6,900.
Manufactured in: Taiwan
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using these ATVs and contact their local Arctic Cat ATV dealer to schedule a free repair. Registered owners have been directly notified about this recall by mail.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, call Arctic Cat at (800) 279-6851 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or visit the firm's website at www.arctic-cat.com
XC 450 also available in Lime Green


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OK, so seriously. I am not going to make excuses over here for being a bum for the last week or so when it comes to updating my menus daily. I was tired and cranky.
Saturday I narfed down some Blue Diamond (they're like crack) Nut Thins with guacamole (otherwise I ate healthfully). Sunday night I had a burrito shell with full-fat sour cream and a bowl of granola cereal with milk (otherwise I did well). I shouldn't have, but I did. I ate when not hungry and I was annoyed with myself, but that's the way it goes.
So I'm up .75 pounds for the week. Oh well. I figure if you can't roll in the hay on occasion, you might as well eat some!
Unfortunately, add to that that I ate at McDonalds yesterday for dinner as my meal. I had two Big Macs, a medium fry, and a fruit pie from the store.
Hey. Don't look at me that way. I admitted it. 😛 I let myself get way too hungry yesterday and made a couple of bad choices. It happens. It just so happens I had, erm, three days of those.
The good thing is I'm realizing what my own limits are and how I can make better choices, how certain foods affect me and whether I miss the foods at all (read below for more). I am always happy to provide my own experiments with certain foods, so long as you don't do the same things because I did it–and you won't, right?
I am back at the treadmill desk today working up a storm and getting some important tasks completed after feeling a little under the weather for the last week or so. I expect a hearty loss next week and a push forward as we move towards our goals for December 31!
For anyone just joining us, first of all, here's the plan I'm following, along with the Mid-Year Resolution Challenge. While you look at what I'm doing, be sure to do your thing. I am thrilled to give some ideas, but I'm not the person you should necessarily look to for dieting advice (I'm not a paid nosh-a-titian). I am, however, here with you to cheer you on when you're so skinny you will have to watch slipping through the cushions of your couch. Be sure to subscribe for updates by adding your email right (in the sidebar) or through Feedburner in the title bar up top! You can also click the tab up top that says Mid-Year Resolution for the daily play-by-play and to see what I'm doing. Whee!
Tuesday, October 23
I ate this:
Breakfast: Skipped. I'm not hungry because I way overdid it yesterday.
Lunch: Green olives + mixed nuts + cheese + pepperoni
Exercise: 3 hours at the treadmill desk
Notes: I'm typically not hungry after a huge meal until well into the next day. I take that as meaning my body is telling me I'm fueled up. And I am!
What I learned:
What didn't I learn?
I didn't enjoy the Big Mac after the first few bites, the fries after the first few bites, the burrito shell after the first few bites, or the fruitpie after the first bite.
This tells me my tastes have, in fact, changed. I really prefer the simple textures and flavors of the foods I eat every day versus what I had this weekend in the form of quick, grab and go options that left me feeling a little worse for wear. This makes me think," Are those other foods really reward foods? Are they really something to look forward to?" Based on the last few days, I say no. Nope.
From my treadmill desk in the Mile High City, sipping on my drinky,


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Armani Hotel Dubai
Armani Hotel Dubai is the world's first hotel designed and developed by Georgio Armani. Located inside the iconic Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, the hotel is the realisation of the designer's long-held dream to bring his sophisticated style to life in the most complete way and through the 'Stay with Armani' philosophy, offer his guests a home-away-from home experience; a personal Lifestyle Manager is assigned to each guest helping them feel at home in the hotel and the city. From the sophisticated colours, clean lines and unique textures every detail in the hotel bears the Armani signature - Eramosa stone floors and zebra-wood panels, bespoke furnishings and personally designed hotel amenities.


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Building Zimbra Desktop on Linux
- This is archive documentation, which means it is not supported or valid for recent versions of Zimbra Collaboration.
0) if you have installed Zimbra Desktop binary builds, make sure you shutdown the GUI and the background service before proceeding.
1) install jdk 1.5 and ant 1.7
2) download zimbra source
3) cd into ZimbraOffline
4) run 'ant offline-reset-the-world'
5) at the end of a successful build, zimbra desktop dev build will be running
6) point browser to http://localhost:7633/desktop/login.jsp


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A Veteran's Heart Romance
Irene Onorato
Genre: Inspirational Romance
Pub. Date: 2/13/2018
All Special Forces sergeant Jason Dexter ever wanted was to serve his country—with his father's blessing. Although the elder Dexter has yet to make his peace with his son's decision, Jason has no regrets. Still, he has mixed feelings about returning to his upstate New York town. But his perspective changes at a friend's wedding, where he meets a lovely, gifted musician. Now Jason has a new mission: to get to know Aria Greco better.
The daughter of Jason's commanding officer, Aria dreams of becoming a concert pianist. Meeting the handsome soldier transforms both their lives. But Aria's ambition, Jason's unresolved family conflicts, and jealousy over rivals on both sides soon threatens their blossoming relationship. As Jason prepares for a dangerous deployment, will the mounting tensions tear them apart, or is their love—and the faith they share—powerful enough to heal the past and embrace the future?
Amazon * GooglePlay * Kobo * Nook
Bronx, New York. Her father, a first-generation American whose parents were born in Italy, was an Army veteran who had served with
the 178th combat engineers during WWII. He told numerous stories of battles, hardships, tragedies and triumphs. The glimpses he gave into the hearts of many American warriors would later become the inspiration for much of Irene's writings.
In 1972, a few months after graduating high school, Irene met James Onorato, a soldier who had just returned from
Vietnam. After dating two weeks, they married, raised three children,
and are still happily married today.
Irene and James, both radiation protection technicians, retired from the nuclear power industry in 2014 and now reside in Louisiana. Readers can visit Irene's website at ireneonorato.com, and find her on Facebook.


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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
February 14, 2001
Remarks by the President to National Guard Personnel
Yeager Field
Charleston, West Virginia
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, all. Sit down, please. Well, thank you very much, General. I appreciate those kinds words and I appreciate your warm welcome. I'm glad I came back to West Virginia. (Applause.) This is a state of good people. (Applause.) Good folks. Down to earth folks. (Applause.) And I'm glad to be in your midst again.
I particularly want to say thanks to General Tackett for his leadership. He's one of the finest Guard Generals in the United States of America. (Applause.) All you've got to do is look at his record.
Secretary Rumsfeld and I, we're looking at the General's record. It's because of your service that he looks good. (Laughter.) Because of his leadership that the record is good. So Secretary Rumsfeld and I say thank you, General, for your leadership. It's an honor for us to be here in your midst. (Applause.)
I appreciate the good Governor of this state's kind words. Good luck to you, Governor. He asked me today if he had any advice -- if I had any advice to him about his State of the State Address tonight. I said I did: just keep it short. (Laughter.) But I want to thank you for your hospitality, Governor.
I'm honored to be traveling from the nation's capital with one of the most eloquent public servants our nation has had in a long time; somebody who not only represents the great state of West Virginia well, but cares deeply about our country, its standing in the world; a guarding of what is right; protector of the grand traditions in the United States Senate. And that's, of course, the great United States Senator, Senator Robert Byrd. (Applause.)
You all sent somebody who is plenty capable to take the Governor's place in the halls of Congress, somebody who will represent West Virginia well in the House of Representatives, somebody who brings a lot of class to the office. And that is Shelly Moore Capito. (Applause.)
And traveling with us are two members of the United States Senate, Senators Stevens and Inouye, as well as Chairman Jerry Lewis. And I want to thank those members for traveling with us. It just goes to show how powerful -- (applause) -- it just goes to show how powerful Senator Byrd is. (Laughter.) He said, I think you fellows may need to come over and pay a visit to West Virginia. All of us said, yes, sir, we're on our way. (Laughter.)
I also want to thank Command Master Sergeant Leonard, the senior enlisted man for the Guard and Reserves. Sergeant Leonard, thank you for coming. (Applause.)
Finally, I don't want to embarrass the fellow, but I'm going to. In 1968, July of '68, I was stationed in Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Hooah. (Laughter.)
THE PRESIDENT: You don't sound old enough to have been there. (Laughter.)
But today when I got off the airplane, Master Sergeant David Eshbaugh, from West Virginia, was there to greet me. He and I shared the same dorm in Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. And, David, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for greeting me at the foot of the stairs when I got off the airplane. And thank you for your service, too. (Applause.)
There is an old saying that example is the true language of men. The example of this state speaks of duty and honor. The people of West Virginia have always answered the call to military service. There are an awful lot of mountaineers who have made this country proud. (Applause.)
And the men and women of the West Virginia National Guard and Reserves continue that tradition. When it comes to readiness, as the Governor mentioned, the state's Army and international Guard units are ranked at the top of our nation. And the West Virginia National Guard has more people than openings. It's a darn good sign that things are right in the ranks here in this important state. (Applause.)
I also want to recognize the employers of the National Guardsmen and Reservists, especially those that are here today. Citizen soldiers have always depended on selfless employers. The generosity of the employers in West Virginia wasn't learned in MBA textbooks or in business schools. It was learned because these folks are patriotic. They care about their state and they care about their country. You put love of country above love of profit. And you have the gratitude of our nation.
This is the National Guard's Year of the Employer, and it's a recognition that the employers of the Guardsmen and the Reservists justly deserve. National Guardsmen and Reservists are a part of a great and enduring American tradition. The National Guard, itself, is the oldest part of America's Armed Forces, with a history reaching back more than three and a half centuries.
During the American Revolution, volunteers and Minute Men earned our freedom. Today, our Guard and Reserve help preserve it. The National Guard has a unique role. It serves America within our borders and beyond our borders. You assist your neighbors in times of natural disaster, in flood and storm and fire. The West Virginia National Guard, for example, has been activated for disaster relief 15 times in the last six years. All Americans have learned to count on the National Guard in times of crisis, to lend a strong and helping hand.
The Guard Reservists also provide for the common defense. This has always been so. But it has never been more important than today. During the last few years, American active forces have been reduced in size, even as American commitments have increased. The Guard and Reserves have stepped up to the challenge.
More than ever, you find yourselves a part of overseas missions, serving with your active duty counterparts. In Bosnia and Kosovo, Reservists make up 15 to 20 percent of the force. You know firsthand. Less than two months ago, a number of airmen from the 130th Airlift Wing came home from Operation Joint Force after flying missions from Germany to the Balkans.
During my tenure as Governor of Texas, hundreds of National Guardsmen and Reservists were sent to Bosnia, and I was enormously proud of them. They did what they always do -- they performed their duty, just as you perform your duty.
As threats to America change, your role will continue to change. The National Guard and Reservists will be more involved in homeland security, confronting acts of terror and the disorder our enemies may try to create. I welcome the important part you will play in protecting our nation and its people.
The National Guard and Reserves are a vital part of America's national defense. And I want you to know that you not only have a former Guardsman in the White House, you have a friend. (Applause.)
Beyond the role you play in the Armed Forces, America's citizen soldiers display values that are central to our nation: character, courage and sacrifice. You demonstrate the highest form of citizenship. And while you may not be full-time soldiers, you are full-time patriots.
In his book, "Citizen Soldier," the distinguished historian, Steven Ambrose, wrote this: "At the core, the American citizen soldiers knew the difference between right and wrong. And they didn't want to live in a world in which wrong prevailed. So they fought, and they won. And we, all of us living and yet to be born, must be forever profoundly grateful."
Professor Ambrose was writing about the soldiers of World War II. But his words apply to this audience and to the men and women around the world who proudly wear the uniform. Your uniform shows that you are living your life for others, for your fellow West Virginians in time of suffering and crisis; for your fellow Americans when our safety is threatened; and for the values and ideals our country represents when our allies and friends ask for help.
All Americans benefit from your service, and we'll always be grateful. Thank you for coming, and God bless. (Applause.)


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Please visit our Open House at 312 450 BROMLEY ST in Coquitlam.
OPEN HOUSE: Sunday 2-4pm
Welcome home! I am proud to present for sale this updated 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom 900+ square foot home. Situated on the quiet side of Bromley Manor with a peaceful view from the balcony and living area. You will feel right at home once you walk thru the door into this open concept home. Entertain your guests from the updated kitchen which boats a huge pantry for storage. Newer flooring and paint throughout. Just move right in with flexible possession dates. Walking distance to many amenities including Thrifty's, Starbucks, Hickey Park, Mundy Park and much more. OPEN HOUSE: Saturday September 22nd, 1-3pm.


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Shanghai Electric independently developed the 3.6MW doubly-fed pitch-controlled asynchronous turbine, which is both one of biggest and most advanced to be made in China.
The 3.6MW project was initiated in July 2008. The first sample is expected to be installed at the Lingang pilot wind farm and connected to power grid for experiment in August. A second 3.6MW turbine will be produced at the end of the year. The company is developing 5MW turbines.
Each blade has a 116metre-diameter while the hub of the wheel is 90 meters high. Shanghai Electric has full intellectual properties and patents on the turbine.
The success in producing the 3.6MW turbine is timely. China's National Energy Bureau is introducing the country's first public tender for offshore wind farms.
"The successful development of the offshore wind turbine shows that China has mastered core technologies to design large-size wind turbines. It has filled a blank in China's independent design of large offshore wind turbines," said Xu Jianguo, board chairman of Shanghai Electric.
Shanghai Electric has given priority to developing offshore wind power. In the course of developing large-size offshore wind turbines, the company has invested in an offshore turbine manufacturing base to produce 3.6-5MW turbines in Dongtai, east China's Jiangsu Province.
The Lingang base, with 40,000 square meters floor space, is able to produce 1,500 turbines a year. It also has a testing wind farm, the only one among China's leading turbine producers.
Shanghai Electric is the 11th largest turbine producer in China, with 274MW turbines installed in 2009, to take up 2 percent of the Chinese market share.
In the course of developing land-based and offshore wind turbines, Shanghai Electric has followed the technological roadmap of first producing with foreign licenses and then to cooperating with foreign partners to design turbines. The 3.6MW is one of the first designs it has developed independently.
In 2006, Shanghai Electric introduced 1.25MW turbine technology from Germany's DeWind. It went into industrialized production the second year on the basis of absorbing the technology.
A year later, it signed an agreement with Aerodyn from Germany to jointly develop 2MW turbines for China's typhoon-frequented areas and low wind speed areas. The cooperation laid a solid foundation for Shanghai Electric to independently develop 3.6MW turbines.
In 2009, Shanghai Electric installed a 2MW offshore wind turbine in a tidal area in Xiangshui, Jiangsu Province. The site is 3.5km to the bank and 4.5 meters deep on average. This was the first wind turbine installed in the sea area of Jiangsu Province.
Soon afterwards, Shanghai Electric installed two 2MW turbines in the tidal area of Rudong, Jiangsu Province. They have been connected to local power grid. These operations have accumulated rich experiences for the company to develop offshore wind farms.


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European regulators have fined Microsoft about $730 million for failing to honor an agreement to give users a choice of Internet browser.
The EU warned the software giant last October that it faced a hefty fine after an antitrust investigation launched in July found Microsoft (MSFT)had breached a five-year commitment to give European customers a choice about which browser to use.
"Legally binding commitments reached in antitrust decisions play a very important role in our enforcement policy because they allow for rapid solutions to competition problems," said Joaquin Almunia, the European Union's top antitrust official. "A failure to comply is a very serious infringement that must be sanctioned accordingly."
This is the first time the European Commission has imposed sanctions for a breach of a legally-binding commitment made in the context of an antitrust investigation. Almunia said the size of the fine should act as a deterrent to others.
Microsoft shares fell 0.7% in pre-market trading, as Nasdaq futures moved 0.3% higher. Wednesday's fine could have been significantly larger. The EU has the power to impose fines of up to 10% of annual revenue, or about $7 billion in Microsoft's case.
Under the pledge, dating back to 2009, PC users setting up Windows for the first time were supposed to see a "choice screen" offering 11 different browsers, including Microsoft's own Internet Explorer. The prompt disappeared following an update to the Windows 7 operating system in February 2011, depriving 15 million users of a choice.
Related: Microsoft's Surface Pro: More security blanket than tablet
Microsoft has apologized for what it described as a "technical error," which lasted 14 months to July 2012. The company said it fixed the problem as soon as it was made aware of the error.
"We provided the commission with a complete and candid assessment of the situation, and we have taken steps to strengthen our software development and other processes to help avoid this mistake -- or anything similar -- in the future," the company said Wednesday.
The U.S. company has a long history of legal battles with the EU. In the last 10 years alone Microsoft has been fined over 1.6 billion euros for abusing its dominant position in the market for PC software.
Microsoft faced similar antitrust lawsuits in the United States in the 1990s and early 2000s over its tactic of using its dominant position with Windows to promote its Internet Explorer browser over rivals like the now-defunct Netscape Navigator.
Since then, Microsoft's share of the browser market has fallen sharply as alternatives such as Google (GOOG)'s Chrome and Mozilla's Firefox have grown in popularity.
Microsoft is not alone in facing intense scrutiny by EU antitrust authorities. Google is still waiting for the outcome of a three-year probe into its search business, despite being cleared in January in a similar U.S. investigation.
And EU data protection authorities said last month they would take action against Google unless the company moved to allay concerns about the privacy of user data.


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Brazil: Aker Solutions Supplies Drillship Drilling Equipment to Jurong Shipyard
Aker Solutions has won a contract to supply a complete drilling equipment package for a deepwater drillship Jurong Shipyard is building for the Brazilian market. The contract value is undisclosed.
On 25 August 2012 Aker Solutions announced a contract to supply six drilling equipment packages to Jurong Shipyard. The contract included an option for an additional drilling package, which the customer now has exercised. The contract includes complete topside and subsea equipment (drilling riser and blow-out preventer).
The equipment will be delivered from Aker Solutions in Norw ay, Germany and Brazil. Aker Solutions is building a new $100m service and manufacturing facility in Macaé, Brazil's offshore capital, in order to meet expected growth.
The drilling unit will be the second of seven vessels to be delivered by Jurong. The contract includes project management, engineering, topside equipment, subsea package including Aker Solutions' Clip riser, and commissioning of the rigs at Jurong's yard in Brazil.
"We look forward to continuing the good, long-term collaboration with Jurong Shipyard and the drilling contractors on this project," says Thor Arne Håverstad, head of Aker Solutions' drilling technologies business.
Between 20 and 50 per cent of the deliveries will be sourced and produced in Brazil, where Aker Solutions has had a strong presence since the 1990s. Today, more than 35 drilling units operate in Brazilian waters, using drilling equipment from Aker Solutions. The company also delivers subsea equipment, process systems and subsea intervention services locally to offshore operators in Brazil.
The new 335 000 m2 drilling equipment site in Macaé will be Aker Solutions' fourth facility in Brazil, in addition to sites in Rio das Ostras, Curitiba and Rio de Janeiro.
Aker Solutions offers complete drilling equipment packages, including project management, engineering, procurement and commissioning. The company provides the full range of topside drilling equipment and systems, and worldwide customer support through a global drilling lifecycle services organisation.
Press Release, December 21, 2012; Image: Sembcorp


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Being "my sister's keeper"
It's tough, sometimes. I have a reflexive tendency to avoid even looking at news stories of the "Isn't that awful?" variety. And if I do look, I often resist posting the link. I mean, we all know (at some level of our consciousness) that awful things are happening all over the world. But we can't fix *everything*, right? And it just seems wrong to post something that is going to make everyone feel bad, if I can't also add, "And here's what we can do about it."
Anyway, I'm purposely resisting that tendency today. This article is hard to read, but I felt I had to share it. Don't know what to do, beyond sharing it, but hopefully it can spur some discussion. Maybe there are some do-able action items out there as well--I just don't know what they are at the moment.
Afghan women commit suicide by fire
Desperate to escape domestic violence, forced marriage and hardship, scores of women across Afghanistan each year are committing suicide by fire. While some gains have been made since the fall of the Taliban five years ago, life remains bleak for many Afghan women in the conservative and violence-plagued country, and suicide is a common escape.You can read the rest of the article here. The article mentions a UK-based group called Womankind. Are there any similar U.S.-based groups out there?
Alternate link for comments


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Outdoor Research BackStop Gloves
The Outdoor Research BackStop fleece liner gloves with WindStopper have become my go-to gloves for year-round use. For a single pair of 100-weight fleece gloves, they are incredibly versatile and useful.
The BackStops balance fleece warmth and wind protection with breathability sufficient for cold-weather energetic pursuits like skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, trail running, or whatever gets you moving outside in winter. They also can be used as a liner layer in a glove system.
The BackStop Gloves are flexible, comfortable, and fairly dexterous, thanks to small silicone pads on the fingertips that provide good grip. They've replaced several pairs of lightweight fleece and wool gloves for me.
As fleece gloves they are best for dry conditions, since they will eventually wet out. Once wet, they may take several hours (depending on conditions) to dry out.
I consider my hands of average size for a woman, but the finger length was a little long and loose for me in the women's mediums, while the smalls were too tight all over. However, the gloves' overall performance and comfort outweighed this minor fit issue.
I really like these gloves and use them frequently. I highly recommend them for comfort and versatility as good, all-around, multifunctional gloves for any outdoorsperson.
- Fleece-WindStopper combo keeps you warm and dry
- Stretchy, flexible
- Versatile, multipurpose lightweight glove
- Works alone or with glove system for year-round uses
- Decent dexterity with silicone pads for extra grip
- Affordable (at $35 MSRP)
- Available in men's and women's models
- Not for use alone in very cold weather
- Not for wet days, don't dry super fast
- Fit was a tad loose and long in fingers for me
- High energy people in mild winter conditions may want thinner gloves
Best For: High-energy winter activities in dry, cool-to-cold conditions, or as liner gloves in a cold-weather glove system
Outdoor Research calls the BackStop Gloves the "ultimate high-energy liners." I think they're excellent all-around gloves both on their own or as a liner. As opposed to some gloves, the BackStops are useful in a variety of conditions and activities.
Over the past eight months, I've used them alone for winter running and cross-country skiing, spring skiing, and three-season hiking and camping. I've also used them in combination with outer shell gloves and mitts while skiing, hiking, and climbing Mount Rainier.
At 1.9 ounces (55 grams) for the pair, I also throw these gloves in my pack when I carry an emergency pair during three-season trips.
Made from a 100-weight fleece with WindStopper on the backs, the BackStop Gloves have an excellent balance of light weight and medium warmth. For this reason, they work well in a range of temperatures, conditions, and activities.
They are closer to a medium weight liner glove than a very thin liner. In fact, they could be too warm for very active people in milder winter conditions. I found them too warm for running in cool (25°F+) conditions, but excellent for running during very cold and/or windy conditions.
The WindStopper on the backs of the hands provides great wind protection. I never noticed any wind passing through the glove onto the back of my hand, even when spring skiing or hiking above treeline.
At the same time, the palms of the gloves remain breathable for temperature regulation. While the exterior is smooth, the interior is soft, fleecy, and comfortable.
Moisture Management
The BackStop Gloves will keep your hands warm and dry if used appropriately. The breathable palm kept the gloves from becoming a sweaty mess while hiking up a steep trail or when cross-country skiing. The smooth exterior sheds light rain and snow.
However, these are fleece liners, not waterproof gloves. So, don't expect all-weather protection.
I used mine for the morning of a mountaineering skills day (hiking up and then sliding around in the snow) on Mount Rainier in August. It wasn't cold (around 40 degrees) and the BackStops afforded me more flexibility than my waterproof gloves. This was helpful while managing ropes, harnesses, and other gear.
The gloves stayed dry and warm for several hours. Once they wetted out I switched to my waterproof pair. The BackStops, even perched atop my planted trekking poles, took a few hours to dry out and were marginally damp at the end of the afternoon. However, I'd used them beyond their normal use.
These are one of the few lightweight gloves I've used that provide flexibility and dexterity, along with reasonable warmth. The gloves move and flex well with you.
The fleece material is smooth on the outside, but has good grip, thanks to silicone pads on the thumb, first two fingers, and palm.
Unfortunately, the pads do not work with touch screens, like on an iPhone or GPS. You'll still have to remove your gloves for that.
I often remove even lightweight gloves in the cold to use my fingers (tightening straps, adjusting crampons, fiddling with a camera). The BackStop Gloves don't completely avoid that issue for me, but they come pretty close. The gloves felt far less clunky on my fingers than others of similar weights, and I was able to keep my gloves on more of the time.
The factor that affected my dexterity the most was the slightly long finger length.
The BackStop Gloves stretch and flex well with your hands. I was comfortable whether I was gripping ski or trekking poles or an ice axe, or holding on to rocks to scramble up a rocky trail.
I never felt tight or constricted in any areas, and I'd forget about the gloves after putting them on.
The fit was reasonably good, but not perfect for me.
My hand circumference (7 inches) and hand length (7 inches) measurements both fell between the women's small and medium sizes, so I tried on both for comparison.*
The medium was the clear winner. The smalls were too tight and constricting all over. The mediums went on smoothly. However, I have about a quarter inch of extra space at the end of my fingers. I wish I could shrink the gloves the tiniest bit all over for a perfect fit.
This personal fit issue was the only trouble I had with the gloves, which otherwise performed solidly.
Durability and Construction
In more than eight months of use, I've seen minimal wear on the gloves.
The silicone pads on the front and back of the gloves provide some abrasion resistance. One line is forming across a silicone grip on the right palm, but it hasn't cracked and is only cosmetic at this point (see photo below).
Otherwise, there are no signs of tears or loose threads. Virtually no pilling, even after using them to scramble up some rocky trails in New Hampshire's Northern Presidentials (see picture at top).
Since I am active outdoors year-round in northern New England, I have a wide variety of gloves and mitts, some of which have fairly specific applications.
The BackStop Gloves have replaced my older Black Diamond and Wild Roses gloves of similar weight, as well as a pair of Smartwool liners that formed a hole in their first winter.
While the BackStop Gloves won't work for every application (no glove will), they're now my first choice for a first layer, versatile, year-round glove. If the fit was perfect for me, I'd rarely take them off.
*Fit/Sizing Notes
Hand circumference:
OR women's small: 6 ½ - 7 inches
Me: 7 inches
OR women's medium: 7 ½ - 8 inches
Hand length:
OR women's small: 5 - 6 ½ in
Me: 7 inches
OR women's medium: 7 - 7 ½ inches
[Editor's Note: Outdoor Research provided a sample of the BackStop Gloves for testing and review.]
Source: received for testing via the Trailspace Review Corps
Price Paid: Sample provided by Outdoor Research for testing and review
Wanted a very light glove to use alone in conditions where wind is an issue. This new hybrid design fits the bill. They are super light and have Windstopper fabric on the back, with just the right amount of silicone on the palm and fingers.
Fit, feel, and dexterity are good, though cuffs are pretty short and entry is tight. All in all, this is a good light option for any season.
Price Paid: $35
Your Review
Where to Buy
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Men's | |
Price |
MSRP: $35.00 Historic Range: $0.01-$37.00 Reviewers Paid: $35.00 |
Women's | |||
single | pair | ||
Price |
MSRP: $35.00 Historic Range: $17.73-$37.00 |
Weight | 1.0 oz / 27 g | 1.9 oz / 54 |


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If your family likes General Mills cereal products, this is a great week to stock up! You can get six boxes for less than $2 at HyVee. That's $2 TOTAL, not per box. Even if you aren't keeping a price book, you can probably guess that $.33 a box is a "buy-now-and-buy-a-lot" price, right?
Here are the details, courtesy of the fab Kansas City Mamas, whom I go to for all my deal-match ups in town! (She also has a great deal on Musselman's apple sauce, which you might want to check out as well.)
Buy (6) General Mills Cereals and Get $10 off instantly and then get a $6 Catalina with in-ad coupon
Use $1/2 Any General Mill Cereal from 8/22 Smart Source
Use $1/2 Cheerios from 7/18 SS
Use $1.50/2 Fiber One from 8/1 SS
Use $.75/1 Fiber One from 8/1 SS
Use $.75/1 Multi-Grain Cheerios Printable Coupon (it's on the Target website, but it's a manufacturer coupon)
Use $.75/1 Wheaties from 7/18 SS
Buy three and use $1/3 from 8/8 SS
Even if each box was $3.50, you would still be paying as low as $.33 each after instant savings, coupons & catalina
Don't forget that most printable coupons have a two-print limit. Push the back or reload button on your browser to get the second print.
Happy shopping!


text: Experience the best of Mexico from the moment you enter Meliá Puerto Vallarta. This all-inclusive resort offers guests a variety of dining options and recreational activities perfect whether you are looking for a romantic getaway, a family vacation, or planning a corporate meeting. The property has a timeless, tropical charm thanks to large, open, airy communal spaces, serene eco-friendly gardens (alive with iguanas, ducks, coy, and birds) and wide-open water views. The hotel was designed by architects, Oriol Bohigas and Josep Martorell whose other projects include the Olympic Village and Olympic Port in Barcelona. Clever, climate-focused design lets you enjoy the Puerto Vallarta weather all year. Traveling with children? Melia Vacation Club Puerto Vallarta is a family friendly hotel offering baby-sitting services led by trained and certified baby sitters. The beloved, classic cartoon family, The Flintstones serves as brand ambassadors making regular appearances. Kids' activities include arts and crafts, billiards, Ping Pong, foosball, arcade games, and more.


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I was born deaf but, at a very young age, I could still pick up some low pitches. I remember sitting in front of the TV, before the days of remote controls, and playing with the volume dial, delighting myself by turning it up to full volume. Both my parents had no hearing at all so they couldn't understand what I was doing.
The house probably sounded like a broadcast tower. This infuriated the old lady who lived nearby, and I can still remember the devilish look she gave us. I never understood her frustration and carried on with my TV antics. Oddly enough, whatever hearing I had was lost due to these loud broadcasts.
A mother's lullaby is often a child's first encounter with music, and my mother had gone to the trouble of learning one, which she repeated over and over. However, more than the song, I remember the movement of her hands telling the story. Those hands, which seemed to move on their own accord, lulled me to sleep as if by hypnosis, and I was soon in dreamland.
Just as people have different heights and faces, deaf people have different ways of listening to music. From those who can't hear a thing, to some who can pick up high pitches, there is quite a variety. However, even if they can hear the sounds, I would say most are unable to discern actual words.
You would think, then, we would have little interest in music. But there are many deaf people who like music and dancing, some who enjoy singing karaoke and, of course, others who simply can't stand music.
Body movements are the easiest for deaf people to pick up, so it wouldn't be surprising to see a group of deaf wadaiko (Japanese traditional drum) players.
During my travels, I've noticed the deep relationship between music and deafness. I remember watching the moonlight glistening off the waves and methodically striking the beach. Beyond this ebb and flow were three lighthouses flashing together in intervals.
My friends and I struck out a rhythm on some driftwood in time with the flashes of light, while the alcohol pulsing through our veins raised our spirits even higher. The flames of the fire danced and contorted during our overtures through to the finale.
The changes in rhythm and twinkling of stars all acted in concert, the throbbing turning into a sort of "visual music." For the deaf, music takes a visual form of nature's woven symphony, a "body sound," and brings with it its own unique enjoyment.


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Five Guys Burgers and Fries Coming to Sioux Falls
According to the Sioux Falls Business Journal, Five Guys Burgers and Fries is coming to Sioux Falls. The restaurant will open on the corner of 10th Street and Minnesota Avenue.
Five Guys burgers use only fresh ground beef, never frozen. According to their website, there are over 250,000 possible ways to order a burger at Five Guys and I plan on testing that theory as soon as they open.
According to the article, the store will open in a few months.
Have you ever had a Five Guys burger?


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Background: On 25 February 1934, about a million Nazi Party officials gathered at points around Germany to swear an oath to Adolf Hitler. This is an excerpt from the speech Rudolf Hess gave on the occasion, which was broadcast to the nation.
The source: "Der Eid auf Adolf Hitler," Rudolf Hess, Reden (Munich: Zentralverlag der NSDAP, 1938), pp. 10-14.
German men, German women, German boys, German girls, over a million of you are gathered in many places in all of Germany!
On this the anniversary of the proclamation of the party's program, you will together swear an oath of loyalty and obedience to Adolf Hitler. You will display to the world what has long been obvious to you, and what you have expressed in past years, often unconsciously.
You are swearing your oath on a holiday that Germany celebrates for the first time: Heroes' Memorial Day. We lower our flags in remembrance of those who lived as heroes, and who died as heroes. We lower the flags before the giants of our past, before those who fought for Germany, before the millions who fought in the World War, before those who died preparing the way for the new Reich. I name Horst Wessel because he has become a symbol for us, and remember through him all those "shot by the Red Front and Reaction."
Woe to the people that fails to honor its heroes! It will cease producing them, cease knowing them. Heroes spring from the essence of their people. A people without heroes is a people without leaders, for only a heroic leader is a true leader able to withstand the challenge of difficult times. The rise or fall of a people can be determined by the presence or absence of a leader.
We do not want to forget the mothers, women, and children who gave their dearest, often their provider, and bear their fate with quiet heroism.
The battle-ready manly heroes and the quiet sacrifices of mothers and women are holy examples of loyalty for us Germans. The flags that we now raise once more are the symbols of this loyalty, which for Nordic mankind is closely bound to heroism!
Loyalty not only in deed, but in character is demanded of you. Loyalty of character often demands no less heroic virtue than does loyalty in deed. Loyalty in character is unbreakable loyalty, a loyalty that knows no ifs or buts, that knows no weakening, Loyalty in character means absolute obedience that does not question the results of the order nor its reasons, but rather obeys for the sake of obedience itself. Such obedience is an expression of heroic character when following the order leads to personal disadvantage or seems even to contradict one's personal convictions. Adolf Hitler's strength as a leader is that he almost always works through the power of his persuasion; rarely does he command. He must know, however, that when he commands, or allows a command to be given, that it will be obeyed absolutely, down to the last block warden.
The power and effectiveness of a good organization is even greater when discipline prevails. The greater its obedience even in small things, the more clearly it marches to the right or the left depending on the command of the leader, the more exactly the command to march in short or long steps is followed, the more surely the Führer can take the steps necessary to realize the National Socialist program.
All we National Socialists work for the realization of this program, just as we once worked to gain control of the state. We fought for the souls of the farmers, for the souls of the workers, for the souls of the middle class, for the souls of men, for the souls of women, for the souls of the old, for the souls of the young — we the members of the main organization of the NSDAP as well as the men of the Labor Service, the leaders of the affiliated organizations of the party such as the National Socialist women. With the same will young men and women strive toward the same goal, to become those who will replace us as the masters of Germany's fate.
Hitler Youths, you have given the same absolute loyalty to the Führer that Germany's young volunteers gave twenty years ago at Langemarck, which demanded their heroic deaths for our people and the Reich. You have made the youth of Langemarck your model. You have the good fortune to live in a Reich that the best warriors of 1914 could only dream of — a Reich that for all eternity will remain united if you do your duty. For you, doing your duty means: Obey the Führer's orders without question! You will be the best living memorial to the dead comrades of the first years of the war when you maintain discipline in your ranks.
The more a Hitler Youth leader demand discipline from his boys, the more he must display it himself. He must demand discipline from them above all when his boys long for glorious freedom or wild behavior. It should be easier for the youth of today to accept discipline and subordination — combined with an appreciation of the accomplishments of the older generation — since the older generation is the generation of the World War. I know how you were persecuted, maligned, hated and mocked because of your faith in the Führer. I know how many of your comrades sacrificed their young lives! I know it well!
But I also know that all the dangers and sorrows that a Hitler Youth suffered, even in the most Communist neighborhood in the years before the seizure of power, are not comparable to the dangers and sorrows that a front soldier experienced in a single day! Never forget that when your leader, who endured the battleground for us, demands self-discipline of you.
I say to the political leaders what I said to your comrades in Gau Thuringia as they were sworn in last year: Be true to Hitler's spirit! Ask in all that you do: What would the Führer do. If you act accordingly, you will not go wrong!
Being true to Hitler's spirit means knowing that a leader has not only rights, but above all duties. Being true to Hitler's spirit means always being a model. "To be a leader is to be an example," just as Hitler and his work are an example for you. Being true to Hitler's spirit means being modest and unassuming. Being true to Hitler's spirit means remaining a thorough National Socialist in good times and bad. Being a thorough National Socialist means to think ever and only on the whole National Socialist German people. It means that no matter what, always to be a servant of the total National Socialism of Adolf Hitler, to be a fully conscious, heartfelt follower of the Führer above all else.
Be ever a servant of the whole, within the movement as well, and never forget that only the whole movement, not a part of it, can guarantee victory and the conquest of the future.
Be ever aware that, wherever you are, you owe thanks to the Führer, for his leadership enabled every victory. Wherever you are, be it high or low, work for his movement, and therefore for Germany. Remember what Adolf Hitler says: it makes no difference if one is a street cleaner or a professor, as long as he works for the whole and does his duty.
The reward for your labors is the feeling of having done one's duty for the movement, for Adolf Hitler, for Germany.
All of you, whether political leader, SA, SS or Hitler Youth share a common pride: Being a member of Adolf Hitler's NSDAP!
You are all the scouts and the defenders of the National Socialist army of the movement. You are each indispensable and equal. Each of you is as unique in history as National Socialism itself. You are typically National Socialist.
SA, SS, and political leaders have a common tradition, embodied in the "Old Guard." It includes all who fought, sacrificed, suffered, risked or gave their lives for Germany's resurrection under National Socialism. It has the honor to have bled and sacrificed for our people's future. You have earned the thanks of all who enjoy the blessings of life in a new Reich. It is a Reich led by men who share a desire for national freedom, socialist community and peace in dignity and honor.
Political leaders! Leaders of the Labor Service, the forces of labor! Women's leaders, HJ leaders! Leaders of the BDM! You will now take an oath to Adolf Hitler!
Your oath is not a mere formality; you do not swear this oath to someone unknown to you. You do not swear in hope, but with certainty. Fate has made it easy for you to take this oath without condition or reservation. Never in history has a people taken an oath to a leader with such absolute confidence as the German people have in Adolf Hitler. You have the enormous joy of taking an oath to a man who is the embodiment of a leader. You take an oath to the fighter who demonstrated his leadership over a decade, who always acts correctly and who always chose the right way, even when at times the larger part of his movement failed to understand why.
You take an oath to a man whom you know follows the laws of providence, which he obeys independently of the influence of earthly powers, who leads the German people rightly, and who will guide Germany's fate. Through your oath you bind yourselves to a man who — that is our faith — was sent to us by higher powers. Do not seek Adolf Hitler with your mind. You will find him through the strength of your hearts!
Adolf Hitler is Germany and Germany is Adolf Hitler. He who takes an oath to Hitler takes an oath to Germany!
Swear to great Germany, to whose sons and daughters throughout the world I send our best wishes.
[Throughout Germany people take the oath.]
This has been the greatest common taking of an oath in history!
We greet the Führer!
[Page copyright © 1998 by Randall Bytwerk. No unauthorized reproduction. My e-mail address is available on the FAQ page.]
Go to the German Propaganda Archive Home Page.


text:
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In no way prepping herself as a happy hooker for Les Miserables, Anne Hathaway stopped by for some conversation about her melancholy turn in the famed Victor Hugo novel to stage and then screen Tom Hooper-directed movie musical. Fielding all sorts of questions including one from an absentee mystery Glitter Girl, Hathaway held forth on perfecting the art of singing and crying at the same time, mulling sentimental cast tattoos, possible on location chocolate sewers, and what in the world is Camp Les Miz. In addition to her own personal take on method acting, which included a willingness to lose the hair but drew the line at pulling her teeth for real.
Now, there's a lot of crying in this move.
Ha! From the audience or the actors!?
Well, a little bit of both, actually. Is it true that you practiced crying while you were singing?
So what's your secret to crying and singing at the same time?
Alright…Um, I don't know that there any secrets to it. It's just, it's a pulse, it's a vein. That you follow.
Was there something about your character Fantine you related to, that led you to that dark place?
In my case, there's no way that I could relate to what my Fantine is going through. I have a very successful, happy life.
And I don't have any children that I've had to give up! Um, or keep! So what I did, is I tried to get inside the reality of her story as it exists in our world.
And to do that, I read a lot of articles and news clips. And I watched a lot of documentaries about sexual slavery.
And for me, for this particular story, I came to the realization that I had been thinking about Fantine as somebody who lived in the past. But she doesn't.
You know, she's living in New York City right now. She's probably less than a block away. This injustice exists in our world too.
And every day that I was her, I thought, this isn't just an invention. This isn't me acting.
This is me honoring that this pain lives in this world. And I hope that in all of our lifetimes like today, that we see it end.
A lot is heard about the amazing cast camaraderie in Les Miserables. So did you do anything to commemorate that, as happens with the Lord Of The Rings cast, like going out and getting tattoos together?
Well, last night when we all went out, we were right next to like eight tattoo parlors! But honestly, the person who I think was kind of the beginning of the glue that we wound up developing, isn't even here with us in New York, unfortunately. And that's Russell Crowe. You cannot underestimate Russell's contribution and influence on this cast. Where is Russell anyway!? But he was the first one to say, hey. Everyone come to my house on Friday night. You know, my voice teacher is gonna play piano. And we'll have a couple of drinks, and we'll sing. And that was such a key part of the process. Because up to that point, we were in rehearsals with each other. And we were all very serious, and spending all day crying! But then in between, I don't think we had quite gotten to the point where we thought of song as a way of communicating with each other. I think we thought, this is what we have to do. You know, this is a technical thing that we must accomplish. But through those nights, Russell let us approach it from a completely different perspective. Which is, this is the way we are going to communicate. This is the language we speak. These are our shared experiences. And I know for me, it made me so much more invested in the totality of the film. And being in a small part of the film that I am, I could have easily just gone home. And you know, forgotten about it all. But I cared so much when I left, I needed to know, how did my own thing go. You know, in my life, how did that turn out. And I think that really cemented the bond between us. And now we kinda say, we're Camp Les Miz!
Anne, a fan of yours out there called Glitter Girl wants to know, did you really chop your hair off in the movie. And if you did are you sorry?
Ha! First of all Glitter Girl, where are you? Slacker!
At school. Fourth grade.
Likely story! Um, I did cut my hair. And I'm only sorry when I had to spend time with Amanda Seyfried. Whose hair is so beautiful! And no, I don't feel sorry. But I did offer Tom the option of cutting my hair. And it was always something kinda in the back of my mind, that I'd be willing to do for a character. If it was ever the right thing to do. So when I was cast and I got the script, I knew they were keeping the hair cutting in. And then I read the book, and it's such a devastating scene in the book. So I thought, doing it for real might raise the stakes a bit for the character. And I guess in the back of my mind I thought, if it was a painful experience watching her hair cut, then watching her teeth get pulled would be really painful! And of course when she becomes a prostitute, I just thought, I'm going to be there with her. Feeling that alongside of her. And as an actor, it was great to be able to authentically communicate a physical transformation.
How did you go about getting into the head of a prostitute?
Well, I was very inspired and moved by the work Emma Thompson has done. And so I just started off from there. And the Internet is a spectacular tool, to answer any questions you might have. And so I just started Googling, and reading various articles. I mean, it stays with you. Things that, I read things that are unimaginable. And you just think, these human beings have experienced them. And I remember a few images that jumped out at me. I remember there was a police raid on a brothel. And a camera crew went along. And there was a crawlspace up in the ceiling. Oh my god, it was so small, and fourteen girls came out of it. And they were all so tiny and scrunched up there together. And when they came out, they weren't shocked that there was a camera there. And they weren't worried about getting arrested. They were gone, they were numb. They were unrecognizable as human beings. And my heart broke for them. And there was another piece where a woman, her face was blacked out. Because she didn't want her identity revealed. And she sat there and kept repeating, I come from a good family. I come from a good family. We lost everything. And I have children, so now I do this. So she doesn't want to do this, it's the only way her children are going to eat. And then she let out this sob that I've never heard before. And then she just raised her hand to her forehead. And it was the most despairing gesture that I have ever seen. And that was the moment I realized, I wasn't playing a character. This woman deserves to have her voice heard. And I needed to connect to that honesty, and recreate that feeling. And she's nameless, I'll never know who she is. But she really was the one who made me understand when Fantine says, 'Shame.' And you know, what it's like to not just go to a dark place. But to have fallen from a place where you didn't ever imagine that anything bad was going to happen to you. And then, the betrayal and the rage that you feel at life. And because of that, you've gone into a place that, by the way, I don't believe she would have gone to. I don't believe this woman would have gone there, or that Fantine would have gone to if she didn't have children to support. I think she would have let herself die. And so it all just added up to be…You know, Fantine is so heartbreaking. And it just kind of all became layered within me.
What about other powerful themes in the movie, like redemption and hope?
I think it's the answer to the question of Jean Valjean in the prologue, what spirit comes to move my life. And he spends the rest of the film answering that question.
And on a brief sidebar! I just want to make sure that I impress on you, I don't want you to be charmed by Hugh Jackman!
Because we all know that he's a miracle. And we all know that he can go and make friends with everyone, and be totally friendly. And sometimes I think that keeps people from seeing his genius as an actor. So I just want to say, the reason that line resonates, is that we witness it in his performance the entire time. What Hugh does in this film, is inspiring. And we were all inspired by him. He was absolutely our leader. So I just don't want his nice guy thing to distract anyone. You know, from the fact that he is a deep, serious and profoundly gifted actor.
So how does it feel to come down emotionally from such a huge production?
I think we're all kinda slightly worried that…this is not really happening! Um, you know, that we're all kind of in some strange, odd mutual trip. And we're hallucinating! But we were all such fans of it, that I think we all showed up on the first day with enormous gratitude. And the responsibility of telling this story that was entrusted to us. And it was great to share those stories. You know, when was the first time you saw it. And who did you want to be at first. And sorry to answer this twice, but I don't think it can be understated, we're all massive Les Miz geeks!
Now about the awful scenes with the characters plodding along through the guck in those underground sewers…
That was probably chocolate!


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• kindle •
Pronunciation: kin-dêl • Hear it!
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: 1. (Transitive) To ignite an actual or emotional fire; to light up as though on fire, as the sun might kindle a resplendent dawn across the horizon. 2. (Intransitive) To become ignited or aroused.
Notes: Exactly what motivated the marketers at Amazon.com to name its new e-book reader the Kindle may never be known. Perhaps they hoped reading books in electronic form would kindle something in us that reading the printed page would not. The frumpy personal noun kindler has been used a time or two. The other noun, kindling "small pieces of wood for starting a fire", is more appealing but not often used in modern times. The derivative most frequently used today is by far rekindle, as an attempt to rekindle an old love affair.
In Play: We don't use this word in its literal meaning much these days, though it is much lovelier than all the synonymous alternatives: "The highlight of the Christmas season for Burney Wood was the moment he kindled the fire in his hearth on which he would later lay the Yule log." We are much more likely to use the figurative sense these days: "Epiphany Wright was the spark that kindled Michael Angelo's creativity and launched him from the boredom of his early life into his successful career as an artist."
Word History: Today's Good Word is another gift of the Vikings, the ancestors of the Danes and Norwegians of today. They began raiding the coasts of England toward the end of the 9th century and then began settling there. Old Norse kindill "candle, torch", from kynda "to kindle", was adopted by the English, probably to refer to kindling, since kindling in those days was often used as torches. The same root that gave Old Norse kindill emerged in Latin as candere "to shine" and candela "a light, torch". English, of course, borrowed the latter as candle plus several other Latin words with the same root, like incandescent. (We are very grateful that Diane Cobb-Cichowski kindled our interest in today's loveliest of Good Words for starting a fire.)
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